Merchandise cabinet



June 7, 1927.

R. C. WALSH MERCHANDISE CABINET Filed July 13. 1925 mm. QW

n mw mm mw Bmw Patented .lime 7, 1927.

@UNITED/STATES .PATENT Norties.

ROBERT C. 'VWALSIL OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

MERCHANDISE CABINET.

Application led July 13, 1925, Serial No. 43,104, and in CanadaSeptemberifl, 1924.

This invention relates to improvements in `store fixtures, and moreparticularly to that type of cabinets ordinarily placed behind storecounters for the storage and display ,drawers and the like, eachprovided with a.

1 locking means controlled from a cash drawer ,or till in such a waythat by suitable ma- -nipulation'of the cash drawer or till all thevclosure members or receptacles of the de.

.vice may be simultaneously locked but are, in their ordinary use,unlocked regardless of whether the cash .drawer is open or closed. Thepresent vinvention relates more particularly tio improvements inconstruction of the cabinet or fixtures themselves, aiming toward easeof manipulation in the moving, storage ory assembly of the fixtures,

and 'relates also to improvements in the mechanism for Alocking thevarious closure members or containers of the structure with 'a' view toprovidingv mechanism of simplified construction and capable ofoperationvwith. a small expenditure of power, i `Generally speaking, ytheinvention embodies acabinet or the like comprising sepa- -vrable bottom,top, Vend and back sections *constructed to have a certain interlockingrelation, whereby they `may be assembled into operative' form withoutthel use of tools Y or fasteningmean's, such as nails orv screws.Theseflat sections which are `easily, handled and stored may bev takenapart with the same facilitywith which-they' may beassembled. Thecabinet maybe constructed `1in a number of separate sections adaptedY tobe v.placed end to end, or may b e a large cabinet divided by removablevertical partitions into as many sections asdesired. The

locking means for each section is mounted.

as farpas possible upon one of the members of theisection,A usually theback, with the result' thaty the cabinet may be taken apart with ,theminimum 'of disorganizationof the locking means@ The locking means .isin itv Figure 3.

one embodiment of the invention, but to which embodiment the inventionis not confined, as numerous modications of construction and arrangementmay be made within the scope of the invention Fig. l is a frontelevationof a pair of adjoining cabinet sectionsfconstructedaccording'tothis invention, one of said sections being open and theother partly broken away to show the construction thereof and ,thearrangement of the locking device.

F ig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2 2, Figure 1. y i

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cash drawer or till.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, A and B .designate twounits or sections of a cabinet constructed according to this invention,each unit of which comprises 'essentially a bottom 11, a top 12, ends13,

and a back 14. The units may be divided by one orr more. verticalpartitions 15 into as many sections asdesired and may also be dividedhorizontally as desired by parti- The upper and tionsl andshelves 17.lower parts of the cabinets are provided with doors or other closuremeans 18, preferably of the sliding type hinged closure means may beemployed. rf he space between the partitions `16 maybe provided withdrawers .19 or other suitable receptacles, and in one of the units, foreX- ample4 in the section A, a location 2O is provided for a cashdraweror till 21-sliown in v Y It will be understood that the cabinetmay consist of'as many units as desired and thatthese may bekconstructed and divided asdesired, `or asnecessary according to theVnature of the merchandise kepttherein.v A

Each unit of the cabinet is a self-con* readily dismembered into anumber of flat sections easily handled,packed, stored or transported,and which sections may be easily and 'quickly assembled, preferably Thebottom 11 of each section comprises a base 22 to which sti'ingers 23 areattached extending from front to back near the ends,

`'and ifi Idesired in pairs at intermediate points, as at 24. TheVYstringer pairs 24 are floc'ated wherever it is desired to have avertical partition' 15 and the stringers `of these shown, but

pairs are separated a `distance,substantially equal to the thickness ofthe parti-tion.V vThe front and back ends of all stringers in a unit areconnected by franges-25 and- 2 6 respectively, which are preferably alsoconnected Vto the base 2l, thus forming. la permanent rigid box-likestructure. Floors 27 are provided extending from one lStringertoi-thenext.. There Stringer pairs 24; are provided, the floors 'do' notspan ythe spaces between :the stringere"but leavev these open for theinsertion ofA the vertical' partitions `Y15. When `a unit is tobeftheendunit of-a row or battery of cabinets,` itisfprovidedat the louter-endwith a. skirt board 28 spaced from Vthe lend stringer a distancesubstantially requal rto the thickness oit' the end 13. lVherevtwowunits are erected endtok end, the "adj acent end stringers thereofwill be spaced apart to. receive between vthem the'end members 13.

' The end meinberland vertical divisions 15 (if any) drop into thespaces between the i C stringere-or stringers and skirt board V28,. so

i that they are held at their. llower ends in properly spaced relation.yThese ,ends and divisions vare 'flat members of `appropriate 'i shape,usually panelledv frames, and rare preferably in a single pieceextending from `topjto bottom and frontto'back of the cabif net. The topcomprises a board or the like,

designated 29, having recesses or channels 3() therein to receive-theupper ends of the end members and vertical divisions, lt'hefsaidchannels being formed either/byl vgrooving Vvthe top' or byV attachinglloattensvorjthe like 1 thereto. The topv isvalso provided neart'he backedge lwith a channel 3l to receive the upper end of ftheback '14 and,when sliding doors are used, the top is further provided nearthefrontedge with a groove 32 to receive'sliding doors. 'The back of eachcabinet 'unit'is' formed of as many boards yor panelledframes asnecessary, each preferably extending fromthe V-bottomtojthe top.

5 At' the lower end each yback sectionL .rests upon the'back :trameQ andat thefupper endy each sect-ion 'is received the :channel 3l ofthetop.Where vertical`division`s l5 are used, it is'preferable to locate thejoints -33 between adjacent-back members immedi-v -ately in rear of`such division, as shown in i' The groove 32 isideeper thanisnecessarymerely to--accommodatethe top edges ofthe doors sliding lin it, so thatwhenlthe ydoors are in place there will exist an emptyfportion ofthegroove abovethe top edges yof the doors. VTowardthesides ofeachcabinet GO* unit, ,the upper-partY of the groove I32 fil-led v byblocks 314, preferably tapered )or ybevelled at their adjacent'vends `1These blocks y'hold the doors, ywhen in closed position, against 'beinglifted out' of or oif''their lbottom guides 35`and thus removed.'VVS7-hen, however, the doors are'unlocked andpartly "ttor cleaning,reglazing or the' like. Vlength of the full. depth portion of the groove'must obviously Abe slightly greater *offt-he cabinet.

' `and swinging lthe Jlower ,ends into yreg open, they register with thefull depth central portion 'of the Vgroove 32"'and may be liftedsuiliciently to disengagey them from their `bottom Guides. When thuslifted, the

lowerends'ofl5 the doorsV may be drawn forrwardly `and the doors loweredout of the top groove and thus separated from the cabinet than the widthof' using-le door.` construction is not confined to the upper slidingdoors but is yused for Vall sliding doors -lVhen the parts ofeaehinnithave assembled "in the lrelation described, 'they aresecured'together by suitable` fastening means,

designated 36, such asjhooks mbotlts. These toi fastening means are`preferaibsly arranged connect {thelto,p,` bottom and'ends. together andalsoto connect the baokto the ends `:et the bottom vand at vintermediate.pointsnif desired. The yslidingdo'ors may now be. t `in placebythrusting them upfinto the ull depth central" portions Lof .the topgrooves 32 each cabinet section, .said lockngmeans being arranged -to beoperated iby predetermi-ned movement of the cash drawer. Brieflydescribed,. this 'locking meansemhodas a series of upper and 'flowerNrocking levers 37l and 38 respectively, :pivoted `to the back membersof Vthe cabinetl land connected by links :89. Leversy or other means,designated las =awholeby 'the numeral 40, are@ rovided inLoperativeconnection Vwith the i evers 37 or 38 and links V39orflookingienggagemnt 'with the various closure members of the cabinet;For .more complete understanding of the construction, arrangement andoptimi-A tion of this mechanism` i reference had to :my'pniorvapplica/tion aforementiuxmd.

iin thatspplication, provision was'made :for

Vthe establishment of operative connection haf f 'tween .the flockingmeans of adjoining Icabi .net units, so that the lockingmeans offanumber of lunits might be controlled fnoln a,

single cash drawer. This memes` comprised a .shaft4 in `,each unit anda.gear-connectedfto v one. ofthe (links .of the lockingmechanism. 'E llie'shafts ofadioining rmitsfwere dispfmed 1in valignment and y.cinipiledtogether.'

`According tov 'the present invention, "ehemethod of coupling the'locking 'meansof adjoining cabinet 'units Vtogether is 'great/lyimproved, y simplified i and` ,eheapened t Ther isterlvelimination ofthev shafts and gear connecvtions to the links 39 andthe substitution ofa simple rocking lever. 43 extending from one unit to the next, or fromsection to section of a unit, asv shown, the arms of this lever beingconnected by links 44 to the rocking le- V`vers of the adjacent units orsections of units. This arrangement is much easier and cheaper tomanufact-Lire and install and requires much less power for itsoperation.

vAlso, the units may be very? easily separated for movement from onelocation to another,

merely by withdrawing the pivot pins connecting the links 44 tot-helevers 37. A fui'- Vther advantage resulting from this method lightlinks 46 with the levers 37 for movement into andV out of lockingposition with respect to the door catches.

. The locking actuating mechanism former- ,Y lylocated on the bottom ofthe cash drawer is now transferred to the side and includes a lever 47pivoted intermediate its ends to a is connected in any suitable way tothe locking mechanism, for example, to one of the 1 links l39 by meansof a link 48. The `front end of the lever carries a roller 49 to engagein a cam groove 50 on the side of the cash drawer. As in my previousapplication, the

cash drawer carries .a manually yreleasable pivoted latch 51 engageablewith either of two catches 52 and 58 located in the cabinet one behindthe other., In ordinary use, the i cash dra-wer is pushed in until thelatch slips past the front catch 52. During such move- ,ceptible of manyvariations and it will theref fore be understood that neither theforegoing nor the following descriptions of operation are to be regardedas in any way limitative. The number of cabinet units necessary toconstitute a department or 4designed to beunder the charge of al clerkare set up and the locking devices thereof connected together so as tobe operated from a single cash drawer in one of the units. The personhaving charge of the cabinet may therefore be held responsible for thecontents thereof and will at Vthe same time be yprotected by reason ofthe ability to lock all parts ofthe cabinet, providing` the doors, etc.are closed, by simply moving the cash drawer to its rearmost position;and locking they same. rlhe move- Yment ofthe cash drawer to suchposition opcrates in the manner already described to move the lever 47and thereby actuate the locking mechanism of the section including thelever 37. The movement of the lever 37 is comniunicated through thelinks 44 and the lever 43 to the lever 37 of an adjoining section andthrough the levers 'of this section vto the next 'unit in line and soon, so that the locking devices 40 and 45. of all cabi- 'net units inthe train will be operated simultaneously to engage or disengage catcheson the various closure members of thelcabinet, as more fully describedin my former application already identified. lf it is desired todisconnect the locking means of any unit of the series, this may bereadily effected by withdrawing the pivot pins connecting the lever orlevers 87 of that unit to the links 39 and 46; but it will be noted thatsuch .Q manipulation of the device will not interfere with thetransmission of operating force through this unit to other units. Thedoors when locked cannot be removed by lifting them off their bottomguides by reason of the holding effect of the top, which is connectedthrough the en'ds to the bottom and at the same time they are held bythe locking means against movement to a position permitting removal.VThe locking means of each cabinet unit is mounted almost entirely on theback thereof and may be removed with the back by the simple expedient ofwithdrawing tlie pivot pins which connect the :locking means ofadjoining back members,

and also the pins connecting with the door locking levers on the ends ofintermediate divisions 15. rlhe various members of each unit may bequickly and easily separated without the use of tools and, when soseparated, may be easily handled or may be packed in small compass forshipment or storage and, when desired, may be easily and quicklyassembled.

Having thusl described my invention, what I claim is l. In a knock-downcabinet, a base comprising a 4bottom board, members secured to thebottom board transversely thereof including a. member at each end of thebase spaced a short distance inwardly from the end thereof and a pair ofmembers intermediate said end members, the members of said pair beingspaced a short distance apart, top boards resting upon said transversemembers and each connecting an end member with the adjacent intermediatemember, back and front skirtings resting upon 'the bottom board andsecured thereto and to the ends of the transverse members; upi 11E-ilright members disposed outside `the lend `transverse'inembers andbetween the members' ottlieftransverse pair; .a top having -f transversegroovesv at `the ends'and'4 ata 'point intermediate' the ends Yfor the,jreception of. the upright members and-longtftudinal grooves ttf-'frontand'back/; a 'back resting' `upon thev base and extending vinto thelongitudinall groove ofthe top, andfasn tening means releasablyconnectingthe members i together.

2. In a cabinet-,a sliding door support including a door guiding rib,` asliding door resting on'sad supportfa member overlying *the v.doorpresenting a channely in Awhich the upper edge* of the door. isreceived, said-'channel being' at its ends of suoli depth that the doorVis :held against upward movement such as Will disengage it from "thebottom guide and said groove being; deep-y ened intermediate'its ends-orjy a distance equal to the Width of th'eldoor to an'extent permittingthe door When partly open 'to be Si In ai cabinet',l end and backmembers and a plurality of closure `means including;

i a till in combination yWithaV common loeking lmeans for all of -saidmembers excepting the till, a leverl pivoted intermediateitsfends to anend of the cabinet adj acen'tthe till, a lroller Y *onl theendofsaid'levei' co-op'eratiiggr with a cam track provided-therefor onthe fendinf` the till, "a" link conne'etingfth'e opposite end ofsaidlever Iwith the closure locking'm'ans.

' fand la' plurality'l of alip'jfiie'ldlocking means for lthe till, ytherearmos'tliof Vsaidjr'i'ieans being located vfor engagementfbyjthe tillonly 'after the samelias been movedsuftlciently 5to causefoscilla'tion'of the leverby the eamtifaclilfor 'operation of vtheclosure locking means.

'l "14. InV a .'cabinetincludirig a plurality of sections anda pluralityoff closure means in each section,V a locking means in each sec @tio-ncommon to allfi'tlie closure lmembers thereof comprising upper and lowertransverse levers fpivoted'intermediatetheirendg i upright linksconnecting'V yc orrelspi'niding' Y ends of the levers", closure memberlooking i i boltsop'ei'atively connected to'said linksfin each pair ofadjoining Vsections Ia trals'- verse lever extendingA from oney sectioninto I the next and pivoted intermediate its ends,

ends of said'flever and theuppermosti of the transverse sectionleverswhereby movement of the `looking meansy in each section 'isltransmittedto the nextf section, and actuaiof one ofthe sections. u 5.Ina cabinet including y laterally sliding'closure "members in onepart'and rear- Wardly sliding closure members iny anothering ineafnsconnectedl'to theloc'king -systemv` j andlinkspivotally connected betwwnpart5'a common'lo'cking 'means for the: clo- 2f v. V"

jsure members of vSaidcabiiitcomprising upm n per kand lower'transverseflevers ypivot'ed finivhen'in lockingjposition and uponclosing In "witness lwhereot I have hereunto set BQBERT(1 WALSH#fottlie"closureinembers7 and means for op-`AAPV Y erating theV locking"system to dispose EheV "bolts in flocking position.I f

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